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Bishop Burbidge's Homily on the Solemnity of All Saints
Solemnity of All Saints
Sacred Heart Cathedral
November 1, 2008
Recently, at the conclusion of a retreat for sixth to eighth graders, I asked them, “What is the one lesson you take home with you?” One young girl responded, “The saints were people like us and we can become like them.” In a very short sentence, this youngster summarized the Solemnity we celebrate today.
The saints were people like us. They had strengths and weaknesses; they experienced the blessings and the hardships of life; they had mixed backgrounds and diverse personalities and they had moments when their faith was strong and also moments when it was weak. Yet through it all they remained steadfast in their belief that nothing could be more important than to unite themselves to the Lord; to do His will; to serve Him and His people no matter the cost and, most important, to entrust their entire lives to His Divine providence and assistance.
Today, the universal Church honors the saints who have been raised to the altar and canonized. We also remember our beloved family members and friends who provided us with “saintly” example and who remain for us a source of inspiration. The young girl is right: We can become like them.
Today, in the proclamation of the Beatitudes, Jesus shows us the path. Imagine all the people on the hillside. Jesus sees them and recognizes the merciful, the peacemakers, the meek, the pure of heart, those who were persecuted for their faith but never abandoned it and those who were mourning but never lost hope. When He looks to us, He longs to see those same qualities, as we strive every day to grow in holiness and to unite ourselves to Him. The Good News is that we need not depend on our own efforts. He reminds us that we are children of God, a God who is always there to strengthen, to guide and to nourish us. We can also depend on the intercession of Mary Our Mother and all the saints to whom we turn this day and always.
The Solemnity of All Saints is the Church’s celebration of the fulfillment of Jesus’ promises to all those who embrace the Beatitudes and His way of living: Rejoice and be glad, the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to you! People like us have heard those words. With God’s grace, we can become like them and one day join them in our eternal reward, and live with the Lord forever and ever. Amen.